Burial vault



March 4, 1941. 'F. H IJLZ 2,234,141

BURIAL VAULT Filed Sept. 27, 1938 ATTORNE .5,

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 BURIAL VAULT Frank Holz, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Norborn S. Holz, Cleveland, Ohio Application September 27, 1938, Serial No. 231,895

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a burial vault or mausoleum of the completely enclosing type wherein the contents, such as a casket, is surrounded on all sides by the walls of the vault,

a sealed door being provided for access to the interior of the vault.

One of the fundamental problems in the construction of such a type of burial vault is the provision of a satisfactory Water-tight and gastight seal around the vault door.

It is, therefore, the general object and nature of my invention to provide a novel construction of burial vault of the type indicated wherein the vault door is positively locked and efiiciently 5 sealed in place.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various structural forms in which the principle of the invention 25. may be used.

'35 Z, the burial vault shown therein consists of the integral bottom wall I, two side walls, one of which is indicated at 2, the top wall 3, and a rear end wall which is not shown. A door opening or frame 4 is provided in the front end of the vault for the reception of the door 5. A series of parallel, continuous grooves 6 are provided in the door frame 4 and in registry with similar grooves I in the opposed surface of the door 5. A sealing compound pouring gate 8 is provided in the top wall 3 of the vault and communicates with the exterior thereof through the passage 9.

It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2 that the pouring gate 8 is substantially in the form of a truncated pyramid, or inverted funnel, with its 50 bottom side or base joining with the grooves 5.

" than a is wide, thus permitting'the sealing fluid to flow quite readily into the registering grooves B and 1. Vertical passages ii) are also provided through the roof 3 of the vault and form a longitudinal extension of the combined or composite space formed by the vertical orside wall *5 portions of the grooves 6 and I. The cross-sectional dimension of the passage I0 is identical to that of the combined space or groove formed by the grooves 6 and 1. Locking pins or dowels H are inserted through the passages l0 andinto the vertical side portions of the registering grooves 6 and 'l and thus serve to positively lock and retain the door 5 in position in the door opening or frame 4. The locking pin ..H are preferably composed of a durable, strong ma-' terial such as steel or iron. The remainder. of the grooves B and 1 are filled with a sealing compound composed of an asphaltic or bituminous material, such as asphalt or pitch .poured in through the passage 9 and gate 8 In order" 0 that such sealing compound can be ma'deto fill the bottom, horizontal portions of the grooves 6 and l, and without causing the formation of air pockets, it is first poured into a level corresponding to the bottom end of the locking pin II, the latter then inserted in position, and the filling of the remaining or upper portion of the grooves 6 and 1 then completed.

Although the same number of passages I0 and, locking pins I I as that of the grooves 6 and 1 are shown in the accompanying drawing. it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that a fewer number can be employed, such, for example, as only one locking pin II on each side.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 3, the sealing compound receiving grooves between the door frame 4' and the door 5' are in the form of contiguous steps or shoulders. Thus the central groove BI and the contiguous; outer groove 62 are provided in the door frame 4 and co-extensive, complementary grooves H and 12 are provided in the door 5'. A sealing compound gate 8', with the passage 9, similar to that employed in the form of construction, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is also provided. The bottom edge of the gate 8 is in registry and coextensive with the outside edges of the innermost groove 6|, so that the sealing compound poured in through thepassage 9' is properly distributediz m to all of the grooves 6|, 62, II and 12.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

6 1. In a burial vault having a door frame and a door, a continuous groove in said frame, a continuous groove in said door, one of said grooves registering with the other to form a passage, other passages extending through the wall of 10 said vault, said other passages forming longitudinal extensions of portions of said grooves, the cross sectional dimensions of said other passages being equal to the combined cross sectional dimensions of the grooves of which they form extensions, locking pins fitting snugly into said other passages and into said portions of said grooves, said pins having cross sectional dimen-' sions similar to but slightly less than said first named cross sectional dimensions, an opening from the exterior of said vault communicating with said grooves, and a sealing compound filling that-partof said grooves which is not occupied by said pins.

.2. In a burial .vault having a door frame and 9. door, a continuous semi-circular groove in said frame, a continuous semi-circular groove in said door, one of said grooves being oppositely disposed to the other to form a circular passage, and other circular passages extending through the wall of. said vault, said other passages forming longitudinal extensions of portions of said grooves, the crosssectionaldimensions of said other passages being equal to the combined crosssectional dimensions of the grooves of which they form extensions, cylindrical locking pins fitting snugly. into said other passages and into portions of said grooves, an opening from, the exterior of said vault communicating with said grooves, and

a sealing compound filling that part of said grooves which isvnot occupied by said locking pins. 1 v

. 3. In a burial .vault having a door frame and a door,.a plurality of continuous grooves in said -frame, a plurality .of continuous grooves in said door, each groove in saidframe registering with each groove insaid door to form a pluralityof passages and an opening from the exterior of said vault communicating with said passages, other passages extending through the Wall of f said vault, said other passages forming longitudinal extensions of portions of said grooves, and being located in opposite sides of said vault, the cross sectional dimensions of said other passages being equal to the combined cross sectional dimensions of [the grooves of which they formextensions, locking pins in at least one of said other passages oneach side of said 'v ault, said pins fitting snugly into said other passages and said portions of said grooves, said 5260 pins having cross-sectional dimensions similar to but slightly less than said first named cross sectional dimensions, and a sealing compound fillingthose parts of said grooves thatare not occupied by said pins.

2 4'. Ina burial vault having a door frame and a door, a plurality of continuous semi-circular grooves in said frame, aplurality of continuous semi-circular grooves in said door, each groove in said frame registering with each groove in 7 said door'to form continuous circular passages and an opening from the exterior of said vault communicating with said passages, vertical circular passages through the wall of said vault, each forming a longitudinal extension 50f the 51! vertical -porti'onsfoi' said grooves, the cross-:sec-

said cylindrical locking pins.

cross-sectional dimensions of the grooves of which they form extensions, locking pins fitting snugly into said other passages and into said :25 portions of said grooves, said pins having crosssectional dimensions similar to but slightly less than said first named cross-sectional', dimensions, an opening from the exterior of said vault communicating with said grooves, and a sealing-".3 compound filling'that part of said grooves which is not oocupiedby said pins, said door frame having a pouring gatetherein, said gate being immediately above that portion of said grooves between said locking pins, and flaring down-Z35 wardly and outwardly.

6. In a burial vault having a door frame and a door, a continuous groove in said frame, a continuous groove in said door, one of said grooves registering with the other to form e140 passage, otherpassages extending through the wall of saidvault','said other passages forming longitudinal, extensions, of portions of said grooves, the cross-sectional dimensions of said other passages being equal to the combined-5545 portions of said grooves, said pins having crosssectional dimensions similar ,to but sngnn 1ess7f50 than'said first named cross-sectional dimensions, an opening from the exterior of s'aidvault communicating with said grooves, and a sealing compound filling that part of said grooves which is not occupied by said pins, said door. 'framdti5 having a pouring gate therein, saidvgate being immediately. above that portion of said grooves between said locking pins, and flaring downwardly and outwardly, said opening from the exterior also flaring downwardly and outwardly-c1 and being above said gate and in direct communication therewith.

'7. In a burialvault. having a door frame and a door, a continuous'groove in said frame, a continuous. groove in said door, one of said-$ grooves registering, with the other to form a passage, other passages extending through the wall of said vault, said other passages forming longitudinal extensions of portions of said grooves, the cross-sectional dimensions, of said170 other passages being equal to the combined cross-sectional dimensions of the grooves of which they form extensions, locking pins fitting snugly into said other passages andinto said portions of :said grooves, said pins having cross-r sectional dimensions similar to but slightly less than said first named cross-sectional dimensions, an opening from the exterior of said vault communicating with said grooves, and a sealing compound filling that part of said grooves which is not occupied by said pins, said door frame having a pouring gate therein, said gate being immediately above that portion of said grooves between said locking pins, and flaring downwardly and outwardly, said gate being materially longer than it is wide, whereby sealing compound may readily flow to the vertical portions of said grooves.

8. The method of sealing a burial vault door in a door frame which comprises forming a groove in the perimeter of the door, forming a groove in the door frame, in such manner that such grooves register, forming extensions of the vertical portions of said grooves through the wall of said vault, then pouring sealing compound into said grooves to a predetermined level, then inserting locking pins in said extensions and vertical portions of said grooves, said locking pins having substantially the same diameter as said grooves, compressing said sealing compound and forcing the same into intimate contact with said grooves and then filling the remaining parts of said grooves with sealing compound.

9. The method of sealing a burial vault door in a door frame which comprises forming a groove in the perimeter of the door, forming a groove in the door frame, in such manner that such grooves register, forming extensions of the vertical portions of said grooves through the wall of said vault, then forming a pouring gate above said grooves and between the vertical portions thereof, then pouring sealing compound into said gate so that the same may flow down and fill up the bottom horizontal portions of said grooves and part of the vertical portions thereof, then inserting locking pins of the same diameter as said grooves in said vertical portions and,

FRANK HOLZ. 

